Queensland Floods News

I’ve been keeping half an eye (eh?) on the horrific floods that are happening in Queensland, Australia right now as I have a few friends and family over that way.

When I think of floods, I think of slowly rising water, people drifting around in kayaks and others standing on roof tops waiting for helicopters. What I hadn’t imagined was the incredible ferocity of flash floods and the insane power that they have – picking up 2 tonne 4wds and flipping them upside down like they were made of plastic.

Queensland Flood Videos

There are already a number of videos that show the flooding as it happens and you can instantly see how much force and momentum the water has. Here are some videos from the flooding in Toowoomba and other areas.

The first is possibly the most impressive at showing how quickly the water level rises and how close people are to the floods. This Toowoomba carpark vanishes in minutes and a good attempt by the water is made to sweep it clean of vehicles. This video was taken by the YouTube user whitelightbringer.

A video of an area that the flooding has receded from, showing some of the damage left in its wake:

Local news websites in Brisbane are reporting on breaking news as it happens. To read this news, visit Courier Mail or Brisbane Times.

Instant Live Flood Updates

To view instant updates and photos from Twitter users in Brisbane as well as concerned supporters from around the world, take a look at this constantly updating feed from Twitter:

Having recently lived through the Canterbury earthquake, we can at least begin to understand what the residents and their families and friends are going through. Messages to stay away from the affected areas and only use cell phones if you have to are familiar to those that lived through the earthquake and other natural disasters.

What follows next will be months of arguing with the insurance companies, especially as there are some reports on 3News that the flash floods are classed as river damage, not storm damage, and so are not covered by standard insurance policies. Incredible.

Our hearts go out to our Aussie cousins across the ditch. Here’s hoping the floods die down quickly and with minimal casualties so that the clean-up operation can begin.

If you’d like to donate to assist those affected by the floods, I recommend donating directly through the Queensland Government website.